Bachelor auction
by Anne Bensler
Summary: A bachelor auction at an NYPD fundraiser. Who buys who? Just a one-shot.


**Hi guys, this is something I just thought of last night, so I typed it up this morning over my first two cups of coffee (European time zone). Just an innocent one-shot, set roughly around the end of season 6.**

Olivia walked into the bullpen with a content smile on her face. Coming in after a weekend alone in her apartment almost felt like coming home. She considered the men she was walking up to family. They were all chatting together, Fin hanging in his chair nonchalantly, John Munch sitting on his desk with one foot on the floor, Donald Cragen standing with them, his hands clasped together on his back, and Elliot leaning against his desk, legs crossed at the ankles and arms crossed in front of his chest.

They all looked at her as she approached and as usual, Munch was the first to greet her.

"Olivia, you just light up the room as always. Tell me, would you pay for a night out on the town with yours truly if it was for a good cause?"

Olivia laughed and the other men grinned as well.

"Is this about that charity thing we're all supposed to attend this Wednesday?" she asked, smiling at her partner as he handed her a cup of coffee.

"It is. Captain here just 'encouraged' us to all participate in the bachelor auction they have planned. Well, all aside from you of course," Munch added with a wink.

"Really ...," Olivia mused. "And you're all doing it? You too, Cap?"

The Captain shifted on his feet and Fin chimed in.

"Yeah Cap, if you're gonna make us sell our bodies for profit, you shouldn't stay behind."

"Now now," the Captain said. "It's not like that and it's not for profit. The NYPD is raising funds for cancer research and the bachelors aren't selling their bodies. It's all in good fun and the lady who buys a man gets him for twenty-four hours. She can go shopping with him or have him wait on her, stuff like that. Nothing serious."

"Unless they wanna get serious," Fin added and Olivia grinned at him. It looked like Fin was already looking forward to being bought by a beautiful woman.

Elliot hadn't said a word since she walked up to them and Olivia glanced at him.

"You entering too El?" she asked.

She knew he was still trying to come to terms with the fact that his wife was actually going through with the divorce proceedings this time. He had been doing alright on the job though. She tried to be a good partner and friend to him and they were working well together, but he was quieter these days. He missed his kids, that much he had told her. Other than that, he didn't really confide in her. Perhaps a night out would do him some good.

"Of course he is. Aren't you Elliot?" Munch asked. "I think the ladies will pay big bucks to have you for twenty-four hours. Right Liv?"

She was sure of it and smiled at Elliot, who was now looking at her with great interest.

"Sure ... why not?" she said hesitantly, feeling her face get warmer all of a sudden.

Just then, Casey Novak walked in and Olivia was grateful for the distraction. Munch jumped up to get Casey into the discussion as well, asking her which one of them she would buy. Olivia turned around to sit at her own desk but was fully aware that Elliot was still looking at her as he sat down as well. She took a sip of coffee and started up her computer, hoping he would just get to work. When she glanced up at him, he smiled. It was a real smile, and for once she didn't see worry or sadness in his face.

Casey was distracting everyone else by pretending she didn't know who she would buy but Olivia knew she'd want Elliot as well. As well? She startled at her own thought. As well as whom?

...

They caught a case and kept busy all day and the next day, interviewing a victim at the hospital and talking with her friends and relatives to see if she might have been attacked by someone she knew. They didn't return to the station that Tuesday until after three and decided to order some food to eat in the break room. Fin and Munch had been chasing a lead on another case and joined them. Naturally, Munch brought up the auction again, expressing his profound hope that fate might bring him together with true love at last.

"Through a bachelor auction John? Seriously?" Elliot asked.

"Stranger things have happened, my friend," Munch assured him, giving Olivia a look over his glasses that she couldn't quite place. "You better bring cash Olivia."

They all laughed and Fin assured him that Olivia wouldn't pay a dime to spend time with his bony ass.

"Besides, there are gonna be a lot of women there Munch," she told the older man with a wink.

"But none as beautiful as you, detective."

She accepted the compliment and turned her attention back to her food. Fin and Munch continued chattering about the auction and their options, or lack thereof, while Elliot and Olivia ate in silence. She was glad they weren't eating alone or it might have been an uncomfortable silence. And that was new. They had always been completely comfortable around each other. But Munch's little quips and her own thoughts about Casey or someone else 'buying' her partner for twenty-four hours had made her uneasy.

After they finished eating, they walked back to their desks to fill out their reports on the interviews of the day. They worked in silence for quite some time before Elliot dropped his pen.

"Hey Liv."

She looked up to see him stretch, lean back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. His blue eyes were looking straight at her so she suppressed the urge to check out his muscular form some more.

"Yes?"

"You wanna go to this fundraiser together tomorrow?"

She thought they were all going together but wasn't going to comment on that.

"Sure."

Then she thought of something.

"But what if someone buys you? Does that mean I'm on my own after the auction?"

Elliot grinned.

"Just make sure you buy someone as well then," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

She didn't want to blush. She wasn't going to blush. Shit. She was blushing.

"El ..." she said softly, looking down at her paperwork again. "I'm not going to buy some guy. I wouldn't know what to do with him."

Elliot put his elbows on his desk and leaned forward.

"You wouldn't? Somehow, I find that hard to believe."

Was he flirting with her? And was she blushing even more now? She sighed.

"Elliot Stabler, would you knock it off? I'm not that kind of girl and you know it."

She thought she had sounded stern enough and was relieved when Elliot dropped the subject.

"Alright, alright," he said. "Pick you up at 7.30 tomorrow?"

"Okay."

...

They finally had a solid lead on their rape case and went to Hudson University to pick up a suspect. After bringing him in and sweating him for a while, he lawyered up and they were done with him for the day. They were convinced that they had the right guy and when no new cases popped up, Cragen told them to take the rest of the afternoon off, since the fundraiser would be that night.

Olivia called Casey and asked if she had some time to go shopping with her for a dress. They met up at the court house and spent a few hours in various boutiques until they both had the perfect outfit and all the accessories they needed.

"Are you going to buy a man tonight?" Casey asked her.

Olivia wasn't about to share her most recent thoughts on the subject with the ADA but admitted that the thought had crossed her mind.

"So what do you have planned for the guy if you get a really good one? That sexy underwear you just bought makes quite a statement detective."

Olivia just grinned over her drink. They were seated in a small restaurant with a drink to celebrate their successful purchases and would go home soon to shower and change into their new dresses.

"You wanna go together?" Casey asked her but she told her Elliot was already picking her up.

"Elliot huh?" Casey mused. "Now _that_ is a bachelor I would like to get my hands on. I can't understand how you can work with him 24/7 and not want to just jump him every once in a while."

Olivia's eyes went wide, not expecting Casey to be so honest and blunt about her partner.

"You have thoughts of jumping Elliot?" she asked, shocked at the mere thought that maybe there were more women out there who might want that.

Casey waved her hand reassuringly.

"Yeah yeah, don't worry. I won't do it. I know he wouldn't be interested in a fling anyway. He's a straight shooter and that just makes him even more attractive, don't you think?"

She nodded. She knew exactly what Casey meant. Elliot wasn't the one night stand type. Still, she couldn't help thinking what might happen if she decided to buy her partner that night. They chatted some more while finishing their drinks and went home to get ready for their evening.

...

After showering and changing, Olivia looked at herself in the mirror. She started wondering if the dress wasn't too much after all. Elliot was going to be there within fifteen minutes so there really was no time to change her mind. The dress was bright red with short sleeves and a V-neck, and it was very tight. It clung to her entire body and ended two inches above the knees. She had bought underwear in the same color, a lace thong and a bra that seemed to push her breasts together. Casey had assured her, with some jealousy, that she could pull it off with her impressive cup size and Olivia had to agree that her cleavage looked nice in this tight dress. Suggestive without showing too much skin.

They had even found a red purse and earrings and a bracelet with little red stones in them. She had dug her red high heeled pumps out of her closed to complete the look. She was just applying some extra deep-red lipstick when there was a knock on her door. Elliot was a little early.

His eyes went wide when she opened the door and she smiled. He liked the dress.

"Wow," he sighed. "Please buy me tonight."

Olivia knew he was joking but she had also put some extra cash in her little purse. It was for a good cause after all, so she had told herself. She was aware that Elliot continued to stare at her as they walked down to the car but she chose to ignore it.

He was dressed casually himself, as had been the instruction for the bachelors participating in the auction. He was wearing jeans that really accentuated his butt and his muscular thighs and a tight white t-shirt that accentuated just about all of his other muscle groups. He had his black leather jacked with him but decided to leave it in the car, since the place would be packed and it would probably get pretty warm inside. Olivia didn't mind at all and glanced at his arms and chest a few times during the ride over. The idea of jumping him didn't sound so ridiculous at all right now and she cursed Casey for putting that thought in her head.

When they arrived, they were soon separated and mingled with everyone else. The catering had been sponsored so after the first glass of champaign she had a few glasses of wine that were offered to her by various men. There was a dance floor and she danced with Munch for a while before the announcer asked for everyone's attention. The auction was about to start so all the bachelors were to report behind the stage that had been set up.

Olivia saw a lot of men disappear behind the screen and wondered if she would know many of them. Casey found her and they waited together for the auction to begin.

Bidding started at $5 for each man and Munch was very proud to be purchased for $25 by a lady who was about ten years younger than he was. Fin soon joined him, gloating about bringing in $45 for the cause. Most men averaged about $30 to $50 but the prices went up a little as the auction moved along.

Olivia laughed and clapped when the announcer asked Brian Cassidy to the stage. She hadn't seen him in a few years but he had definitely been working out. Several women started bidding on him and an older lady seemed to be winning. Brian spotted Olivia in the crown and yelled at her.

"Liv, save me!"

She laughed and yelled at the women around her,

"Come on girls! Keep going!"

Finally a young blonde made a bid of $85 and won her man. Olivia grinned at Brian as the blonde came up to the stage to pay and collect her prize. She knew he'd be pleased with the blonde. He really wasn't her type at all.

Casey poked her in the side with an elbow as the next bachelor was introduced.

"Ladies, this is Nick Amaro from narcotics. Technically he's not a bachelor so you will be limited a little in what you can do with him. Still, he's willing to work for the cause so let's start the bidding at $10 for this one!"

"Olivia, you'd make beautiful babies with that one," Casey told her. "Dark hair, brown eyes. Just perfect."

She agreed the man looked nice enough. Good build and a confident attitude. But he was married according to the announcer. He'd be a definite maybe in another lifetime ...

Casey actually placed a bid herself on Amaro but he was taken after a while by another redhead for $80.

Several bachelors later Elliot made his way onto the stage. Olivia could tell he wasn't really at ease but he looked great nonetheless. Casey actually placed the first bet, starting Elliot off at $20 right away. Olivia hoped he would bring in more than Brian had. More ladies started bidding and Elliot's confidence seemed to grow as the bidding went higher. He actually flexed the muscles of his arms a few times and Olivia cheered him on. When two women started bidding quite seriously against each other, she started to feel uncomfortable. She didn't know these women but they were both beautiful and she didn't really want them to buy her partner for twenty-four hours. He was still recovering from his failed marriage and might fall into something that wasn't good for him. But was that really why it was making her uncomfortable? Or was it something else?

The bidding was still going and they were up to $100 now. As proud as she was of her partner, bringing in more cash than any other man before him, she swallowed and took a deep breath. She didn't want anyone else buying him.

The bidding was slowing down. One of the woman yelled '110' and the other one was checking with her friends if she should continue. The announcer started to count down.

"110 going once, going twice ..."

"Two hundred!"

The entire room went quiet for one second, then people started clapping and cheering again. The two women accepted defeat and the announcer yelled,

"Sold for 200 to the lady in red!"

Olivia's heart was pounding so fast that she thought she might pass out. But Casey was pushing her forward towards the stage to make her donation and collect her prize, mumbling "I knew it, I knew it all along" behind her back. In a daze she walked over to Elliot, who was looking at her with wide eyes. He seemed surprised, amused and relieved and started grinning when she reached him on the stage.

He gave her a bear hug and the announcer was going to send them off with his best wishes, when he seemed to realize who they were.

"Will you look at that. His partner bailed him out! Now that's love I tell ya!"

...

Elliot held on to her hand as they made their way through the crowd to find a quieter spot to stand and watch the rest of the auction. When she finally turned around to face him, she was surprised to see the soft expression on his face.

"Now why did you do that?" he asked her softly, placing both hands on her waist.

She wasn't really sure what to tell him. She just didn't want anyone else getting their hands on him. She shrugged.

"I thought you needed rescuing. I don't know those two who were bidding on you."

"Well, if you don't know them, how do you know I needed rescuing?"

He was moving closer to her and she put her hands on his chest. _That feels so nice_.

"I ... well ..."

Great. Now she was stammering like an insecure schoolgirl.

"Liv. It's okay."

His soft, low voice sent a shiver through her body.

"I'm glad you bought me."

She looked into his eyes, wich were level with hers because of her high heels. They stared into each others' eyes for a few seconds when his eyes dropped down to her mouth.

"So, now that you have me, what do you want to do with me?"

He moved his hands to her back and pulled her against his body.

"You wanna dance?"

She tried to breathe, slowly. In and out. Dancing was good. Dancing was normal. She could do that.

"Okay."

The auction was coming to a close and the small band started playing again. Elliot took her hand and led her to the dance floor. They danced close together and after a while, Olivia managed to relax. She leaned her head against his and closed her eyes. They were moving so naturally to the music together and she felt like they were the only people there.

Olivia felt another shiver shoot through her body when she felt Elliot's lips graze the sensitive skin of her neck. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Elliot kissed her neck again and she turned her head to face him. His eyes were on her full red lips and she smiled slightly. She felt a hum vibrate in his chest, that was pressed closely to hers, before he closed the distance between them and kissed her. She moaned softly when his lips touched hers and closed her eyes again. She knew then and there that she hadn't just won her prize for twenty-four hours. Their kiss deepened as they moved together rhythmically, swaying back and forth to the music and to the rhythm of their hearts.

The dance floor was packed with couples, dancing slowly, and only their real friends and co-workers noticed the couple between all the others. Fin glanced at Cragen and Cragen shook his head but he couldn't suppress a smile. Casey watched them dancing and kissing and blinked away a few tears. If any two people deserved some happiness, it was Olivia and Elliot. Munch asked his date for the night to join him for a dance and just smiled when he looked at the lady in red and her prize. He had been right. You _can_ find true love through a bachelor auction.

 **END**


End file.
